This invention concerns a data media processing device used in an automated transaction device, such as an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) in a banking system. The media processing device can handle more than two types of media, such as a magnetic card and an IC card, at the same time.
In the following description, the data media processing device refers to its use both as a card processing device or a card issuing device. In recent years, it is well known that there are card processing devices which perform the data processing for both magnetic cards and IC cards at the same time.
Discussed below is a shortcoming if such card processing devices are used which process the data for different types of cards.
When a bank customer inserts a banking card (magnetic card) into the ATM to transfer a certain amount of money from the account of the banking card to an IC card used, for example, an electric money system, the magnetic card inserted into the conventional card processing device must be returned to the customer before the IC card is issued. This is because the conventional card processing device has a single transportation path in it, and the magnetic card which is already processed must be returned first in order to issue the IC card. Further, in this configuration, it has no structure to retrieve the card even when the card is detected as an invalid or illegal card.
In actual use, it is preferable to return the banking card (magnetic card) after the entire transaction is completed, because it is necessary for the bank to check the banking card and any unlawful action of the customer. In order to return the banking card, after an IC card is issued, to solve the problem mentioned above, it was necessary to install in the ATM both a magnetic card reader to process magnetic cards, and an IC card reader to transfer the amount separately. This configuration, however, causes the ATM to be large and more expensive.
One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a data media processing device or a card issuing device which handles the different types of cards efficiently, and which is compact and inexpensive. In order to meet such requirements, the device, according to this invention, not only processes the data after inserting the different types of cards and returns them, but also it has a practical processing structure for temporarily holding and retrieving the first inserted card.
The data media processing device to process the data on a data media according to this invention is provided with a transportation path positioned immediately behind a data media slot to insert, return, and issue the data media therefrom. The device includes a data processing unit to process the data media, a first data media issuing unit to stack a plurality of first data media to be issued, a first data media issuing path section having a first data media issuing path positioned in front of the first data media issuing unit, which issues the first data media, a temporary card holding unit to hold a second data media temporarily, after it is inserted from the data media slot, and a media path switching mechanism to switch to either the first data media issuing path section or the temporary card holding unit, either of which connects to the transportation path.
The first data media issuing path section and the temporary card holding unit are stacked on top of each other in a vertical direction, and the section and unit are switchable and selectively positioned to follow to and from the transportation path, and the data media slot.
The first data media issuing path section and the temporary card holding unit are switchable, in one aspect of the invention, by activating a rack and pinion mechanism.
The temporary card holding unit has a media retrieving unit to retrieve the second data media when the second data media is to be collected.
The temporary card holding unit holds the second data media until the first data media is issued, and the temporary card holding unit returns the held second data media thereafter.
The first data media issuing path section and the temporary card holding unit form an elevator unit, and the elevator unit is a single block which is replaceable for maintenance purposes.
The first data media can be an IC card, and the second data media can be a magnetic card.
In the data media processing device according to the present invention, the first media (such as IC cards) are stacked for issuing from the device, the second media (such as magnetic card) are inserted into the media slot from the outside the device. The second media is, then, transported into the card transportation path, which is located inside the device, and the data on the second media is read by a data processing unit. The second media is, then, transported into the temporary card holding unit for being held temporarily. After this step, the media issuing path unit is moved and leveled to the height of the transportation path by a path switching means. The first media is, then, transported from the media stacker unit, and processed by the data processing unit according to the data of the second media, and issued to the customer. After the first media is issued, then, the second media is returned from the temporary card holding unit to the customer.
The present invention provides two kinds of media processing functions in a single device which has a single transportation path located behind the media entrance. With this configuration, it is possible to return the second media last even though it is inserted first in order to perform the data processing efficiently. The device according to this invention has a simple structure of the transportation path, and this makes the device compact and inexpensive.
Because the device according to the present invention has a path switching means to switch the entire block of the media transportation unit and the temporary card holding unit, it is possible to switch the path easily, for example, without easily deforming the cards.
Because this device is provided with the card retrieving means to retrieve the second media, it is possible to retrieve the second invalid or illegal media temporarily held in the temporary card holding unit inside the device for retrieving purposes.
Because this device is provided with a combined replaceable unit of the media issuing path unit and the temporary card holding unit, it results in ease of operation by an operator when he retrieves the media or performs maintenance work. It is also easy to replace the combined replaceable unit to handle new types of media when the device handles other types of media.
When an IC card is used as the first media mentioned above, and magnetic card is used as the second media, this device can accept the magnetic card, and issue the IC card which is recorded with the data according to the data in the magnetic card. If the magnetic card inserted is invalid or not useful, then the device is able to retrieve the magnetic card. This device according to this invention, thus, can handle both of the magnetic and IC cards efficiently.